China in China

Western artists are increasingly traveling to China to research and produce work for exhibitions in the USA, Australia and Europe. Over a third of the artists shown in Ceramic Top 40 — an exhibition highlighting individual artists, collaborators, and design partners working on the cutting edge of conceptual, utilitarian, and sculptural ceramics — have been to Jingdezhen including Susan Beiner, Rain Harris, Walter McConnell, Beth Cavener and collaborators – Future Retrieval: Katie Parker and Guy Michael Davis.

In June and July 2014, Ferrin Contemporary director Leslie Ferrin traveled to Hong Kong, Chongqing, Jingdezhen, and Shanghai to explore this culture exchange, and the galleries and museums in the rapidly developing contemporary art scenes of Hong Kong and Shanghai. Documenting her travels in images as she went (you can find the full feed on the collaborative art blog scene +seen), Ferrin participated in a ten day workshop in Chongqing sponsored by Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, gave lectures at the Pottery Workshop in Jingdezhen and Shanghai, and visited studio workshops where Ferrin Contemporary represented artists Jason Walker, Sin-ying Ho, Robin Best and others worked in collaboration with Chinese skilled artisans.

Learn more about her investigation of this burgeoning exchange and Western artists working in China at the following public talks this Fall and Winter: